| WBU-AP Otsuki Award "How Braille and Audio Devices Enrich My Daily Life" Hong Kong China Yau Wai Lok Billy (22/male) |
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"What are these dots for?" A little boy asked me with curiosity. "The dots are known as Braille," I answered. "They're for me to read." Another little girl came near. Pointing at my MP 3 Player, she asked me, "What's it for?" I replied, "It's an MP 3 Player. I'm listening to a book." "What! You're listening to a book?" The girl exclaimed in a voice of puzzlement. Since I was a child, I had never thought of such questions regarding the use of Braille or the usefulness of an MP 3 Player. Braille and audio devices had always been my means of communication and my access to information. They helped to add colour to my life and were very crucial to me in my last year of education leading to a degree. Braille and audio books not only occupy my book-shelves but they also fill up my computer memory and my spare time. Once when I was caught up in a traffic jam and the passengers in the bus all around me were grumbling, I was very calm, still and quiet. Everyone else was impatient in the almost stationary vehicle while I was enjoying a lively adventure and experience of real friendship. The book entitled "The Adventure of Friendship" had been downloaded on to my Braille note-taker from an on-line Braille library. I did not mind waiting on the bus as I wanted to finish the chapter I was reading. For me, being stuck with my assignments at the library was much more annoying than waiting in a traffic jam. Caught in a jam, I would just put on my ear-phone and listen to a passage or two from the Chicken Soup.(The name of a programme). The insightful words of the writers and the soft voices of the narrators keep me calm and energised. Braille and audio devices keep me connected with books which are like my dear friends; they help me get rid of boredom and pacify the rough seas within my heart. They also keep me connected with the people and the world around me. A guy was talking about the recent report of the love affair of a pop singer. I joined in the conversation and made one more friend. I could do this because I had heard the report in a gossip magazine while I was on my way home. Braille truly keeps me in touch with my friends. There was a time when I was feeling down and depressed due to unfair treatment as I was trying to secure a teaching placement. My friends heard of my plight and messages of consolation and support came pouring in through my MSN Messenger. I sensed the warmth and care of my friends on every dot as my finger-tips read the Braille display. Thus, through Braille and audio devices, I was able to become part of the social network of the world. To hunt for my favourite CD among so many in the book-shelves, the Braille labels acted as messengers. And so with Braille as my loyal messenger, I can select and listen to any song I want without having to trouble anybody. A female friend of mine loved cooking very much but she never relied on Braille to help her. As a result, her supposedly delicious cakes came out salty rather than sweet! Learning from my friend's experience, I decided to put Braille signs on each container of ingredients. It is true that Braille is a messenger who runs only a short distance to pass on the message to a blind person; for us, however, it is greater than the messenger who ran all the way to Greece to pass on the message of victory: By using Braille as my messenger, I can listen to CD's, do my cooking and perform many other tasks with confidence and independence. Braille dots are small in size and the audio voice is soft and tender but they have great power. You can make good use of them to turn your life into something richer or even greater! I am extremely glad that I have chosen them to help me stay connected with the world and to accomplish many things. How about you? Why not use Braille and audio devices to enable you to have your say in society and to add colour to your life every day? You should act now -- don't hesitate. |
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